Now a King of coach killers
The Cleveland Cavaliers were in full damage control mode on Friday, trying desperately to spare LeBron James any public backlash after the club abruptly fired David Blatt. David Griffin, the Cavs GM, made it clear that no players were consulted before the front office dropped an anvil on Blatt, who led the Cavs to the best record in the Eastern Conference despite not having Kyrie Irving for the first seven weeks of the season.
It was the right play from Griffin to publicly exonerate James of any wrong doing. The NBA is a player’s league and when you have one of the greatest to ever play you do whatever you can to protect and appease your star.
Of course, LeBron was consulted. In fact, it would be negligent of Griffin not to know he has James’ approval on such a significant move. Think of it this way: if Blatt had LeBron’s undivided support he’d be coaching Saturday’s nationally televised game against the Chicago Bulls.
Over the years there have been plenty of legendary players with coaching blood on their hands. Magic Johnson. Michael Jordan. Heck, we’re two months shy from the 20th anniversary of Patrick Ewing helping oust Don Nelson. James is in select company, indeed. Blatt was fired despite a 30-11 record, which include two losses to the Warriors and one to the San Antonio Spurs. That’s a problem.
LeBron is pretty confident that he can return to an NBA Finals but he’s clearly concerned that the Cavs, whose roster he helped build, don’t have what it takes to beat the Warriors and Spurs in June with Blatt as their coach.
It was always a matter of when not if for Blatt, who was hired two months before James returned to Cleveland in July 2014.
Blatt wasn’t one of LeBron’s guys. Tyronn Lue is.
The Cavs promoted the young assistant who is more unproven than Blatt. Lue, though, has James’ ear. Just like he had Kobe Bryant’s ear with the Lakers and Michael Jordan’s with the Wizards when they were teammates. Not bad for an undersized journeyman point guard.
Lue signed a three-year deal, so assuming LeBron doesn’t leave — my advice: don’t bet your mortgage that he stays since his track record says otherwise — the Cavs have determined that Lue is the guy to coach 30-year-old James for the next three seasons.
You figure LeBron has three, maybe four years left playing at an MVP level. He and the Cavs don’t want to waste those years.
It’s now or never for James to bring a title to a city that hasn’t won a major championship since the 1964 Browns.
When the Cavaliers arrived in Brooklyn on Wednesday still licking their wounds from an embarrassing 132-97 loss to Golden State 48 hours earlier, LeBron was telling a close friend that the team needed a taskmaster who the players respected for a coach.
The wheels were already in motion after that ugly loss to Golden State.
You may call it cunning, but more than anything it reeks of desperation. LeBron knows that his championship window is closing. He’s a savvy guy. He sees that his greatest rivals now are Stephen Curry and Father Time.
The former, has beaten LeBron five straight times. LThe latter is undefeated. eBron goes to great lengths to cultivate and protect his image and brand. He realizes he’ll take a hit here, but the payoff could be worth it.
Like always, no one has more to win and lose than LeBron James.